In the field of ordnance, various types of cartridges are available for firearms. A cartridge is a piece of ammunition that contains primer, propellant, and a ballistic projectile, packaged together in a case. Cartridges are sometimes referred to as rounds or shells, with cartridges for shotguns referred to as shotgun shells.
Cartridges are available with several types of ballistic projectiles. One well-known type of ballistic projectile is a bullet, which is a solid projectile mounted in or on the front end of a cartridge. A bullet is sometimes referred to as a slug, as described below.
Shotgun shells are typically available with shot or slugs as ballistic projectiles. Shot are small solid round projectiles, which are packed into the front end of a shotgun shell. Shot are available in various sizes, from small birdshot (size 9 birdshot is 0.080″ in diameter) to large buckshot (size 000 buckshot is 0.36″ in diameter). A shotgun shell with shot typically includes a number of shot, with the number depending on the size of the shot and the size of the shotgun shell.
A slug is a projectile package mounted in or on the front end of a cartridge, such as a shotgun shell. A slug can be a solid projectile package, such as a bullet. Alternatively, a slug can be a composite projectile package formed from one or more component parts and/or materials, such as a container and a payload.
Various types of slugs are available for firearm applications. One firearm application is the disabling of door hardware. Sometimes, military and/or law enforcement personnel may use firearms to disable the hardware of a door in order to gain entrance into a building. In this application, a firearm can be used to fire a door slug at door hardware, such as a handle, lock, or hinge, to disable the door hardware. Throughout this document, a slug intended to disable door hardware is referred to as a door slug.
A door slug can effectively disable door hardware in several ways. One way in which a door slug can disable door hardware is by removing a portion of a door and/or door frame, to which the door hardware is connected. Another way in which a door slug can disable door hardware is by removing a portion or all of the door hardware from a door and/or door frame to which the door hardware is connected. Still another way in which a door slug can disable door hardware is by damaging it so that it no longer performs its intended function. Alternatively, a door slug can effectively disable door hardware by using a combination of these ways.
Some door slugs, when fired at door hardware, may fail to effectively disable the door hardware. A door slug may impact the door hardware but fail to effectively disable it. Alternatively, a door slug may pass through a portion of the door hardware but still fail to effectively disable it.
Some door slugs, when fired at door hardware, may perform poorly upon impact with door hardware. A portion or all of a door slug may pass through the door hardware, possibly harming a person behind the door. A portion or all of the door slug may ricochet off the door hardware, possibly harming a person who fired the door slug. The impact of the door slug may cause pieces of the door hardware to fragment and fly off at high speeds, possibly harming a person in the vicinity of the impact.